Peaceful Problem Solving with Preschoolers: A Resource from Sesame Street

Teaching children to problem solve is an important part of social-emotional learning and early childhood education. When young children learn to resolve conflicts in a calm and productive way, it helps them have stronger relationships with peers and sets them up to form positive connections in elementary school and beyond. 

This 3-minute video from Sesame Street in Communities features tips from pre-k educator Callie Weller, as she introduces a problem-solving curriculum to the preschoolers in her care that helps them learn different ways to solve problems peacefully.  

The video can be used as a tool to inspire and encourage reflection among early learning professionals. Here are some helpful reflection questions, which can be considered independently or with your teaching team: 

• What is one idea Callie presented that you’d like to keep in mind as you go through the day in your classroom?  
• How do you build a peaceful environment for children in your space? What did you see in the video that you’d like to try?  
• How does Callie observe, interpret, and comment on children’s behavior as they play and learn?